Catholic Bishop in South Sudan Decries “superficial” Interactions, Advocates for Truth

Wau, 29 April, 2023 / 9:08 PM

The Catholic Bishop of South Sudan’s Wau Diocese has lamented superficiality that he says characterizes interactions among the people of God in the East-Central African nation. 

Speaking during his pastoral visit to St. Daniel Comboni Parish of his Episcopal See, Bishop Matthew Remijio underscored the need for change, advocating for the practice of telling the truth.

“Our sharing is always very superficial because we don’t want people to know the truth about us and what we are doing,” Bishop Remijio said during the Tuesday, April 25 visit.

He explained, “When we come to the truth, we don’t share the deep reality and the experience that we are living, especially the adults.”

“This is not true preaching because it’s like we are pretending to teach each other but there is nothing,” the South Sudanese member of the Comboni Missionaries (MCCJ) lamented. 

He emphasized the need for proclaiming the truth, saying, “When you are preaching the word of God, you should tell the truth and give good advice to others even though it touches them.”

“Even if what you preach is painful, it's your duty to tell the truth for the people to change their minds for the good of others,” he further said.

The 50-year-old Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of Wau Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination on 24 January 2021 continued, “Telling the truth is always important because it drives people for change in minds and souls to take the right direction.”

He went on to call upon adults to help young people understand the truth in the scriptures.

“Our elders should tell the truth to the young ones,” he said during the April 25 visit, and added, “It should not be your truth but the truth of Jesus Christ written in the Bible,”

The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop continued, “Tell them the truth about what Jesus wants from them because this will make them take the right direction once they understand.”